Machine for cutting sod



C. F. DAFFERNER MACHINE FOR CUTTING 501) May 12, 1925.

'2 Sheets-Sheet l v A-rroniumr m, m M .w.

d 1 1 if May 12, 1925.

INVENTOR,

c. F. DAFFERNER MACHINE FOR CUTTING 50D Flled Nov 27 1923 WITNESSESATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1925.

1,537,412- UNITE n smrss PAT EN-T? orecHA'R'LE'sF. DAFFE'RNER,oF'oTT'tI'ivr-WA, IOWA;

MACHINE FOR CUTTING son.

Application-filed November 27, 1923. semi No. 677,303.

To all QUILOWL it mayv concern:

Be it known that I,-GI-IARLES F. DAFFER- NEH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Uttumwa, in the'county of lVapello and State ofIowa, have invented a new and Y useful Machine for Cutting- Sod,of-which the followingis a specification.

This invention relatesto a machine for cutting sod, which is adapted tobe drawn over the ground by horses or to be propelled by a motor,and'which is of especial value wherever operations are conducted on alarge scale; I

Une of the principal objects of the in vention is to provide a devicefor the purpose stated which may be operated continuously withoutclogging, and which has improved means for insuring, a perfect anduniform out.

Another important objectis to provide a machine which may be easily andaccurately guided, so as to cut the sod in straight strips-of uniforinwidth.

It is also an object of the invention to mount the frame and themechanism: carried thereby in such a manner thatthe cutting devices willautomatically adjust themselves, so that a continuous and uni-.

form strip of sod maybe ut as rapidly as the machine canbe drawn overthe ground.

k W'ith these and other objects in View, in certain details the machineconsists of construction and combinations thereof which will be morefully understood from the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate oneembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan view, with certain minor parts shown in section.

Figure a is a detail perspective view of the cutting elements.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the means for supporting theframe.

The invention includes an under-slung frame including side rails and ll'integrally or otherwise connectedat theirfront ends by a cross rail 12,and attheir rear ends by a cross rail or rod 18. The rails 10 and 11,toward their front ends, have rigidly secured thereto upstanding,hangerplates let, which are supported upon a transverse rod which constitutesan axle. This axle is rotatably supported by a heavy roller, which inthe present embodiment consists of a metallic shell 16 filled withconcrete 1'? witha central metallic core or sleeve 18, which forms abearing for the rod or axle 15. This roller being of considerable weightserves not only vto pack the sod and to make the surface smoothpreparatory to cutting, but also serves in connection with the draftmeans to force the cutters into the" ground, andto insure a sod ofuniform thickness.

A pair of handles- 19 are mounted at their forward ends on theprojecting ends of the" rod 15, and are supported at their rear ends byupright bars 20 from-the rear cross rail 13, and may also be providedwith suitable cross braces 21.

In the form shown herein which is'adapted tobe drawn'by horses or asmalltractor, a clevis 22 is pivotally mounted in a strap 23' securedcentrally to the front cross rail-12, and connected with this clevis isa ing portions 26 connected by a V-shaped horizontal blade 27 bothportions 26 and 27 beingprovided with a cutting edge 28, Since the frameof the machine is underslung' and runs close to the" ground, the draftis applied through the draft link 2 k in a forward and upward direction,and this forces the cutting blades 26 and 27 downwardly into the ground,holding the same at substantially a uniform depth as the machine ismoved forwardly.

An auxiliary cutter is provided at each side of the machine for markingand initia'lly cutting the edges of thestrip of sod. Each-of theseaiilxiliary cutters has its frame pivoted, as at 29', immediatelybehindthecharacter of the soil.

The improved means for guiding the machlne includes a transverse shaft36 ournaled 1n the rear ends of the side rails 10 and 11, and havingsheaves 37 and 38 secured to its opposite ends. Cables 39 and 40 havetheir rear ends secured to the respective sheaves and partly wound aboutthe same, and extend thence forwardly through the respective eyes 41 and42 at the forward corners of the frame, and have their front endssecured to an eye 43 formed at the front end of the draft link 24. Itwill be noted that the rear end of cable 39 is wound about the sheave 37in one direction, while the cable 40 is wound about the sheave 38 in theopposite direction, so that by rocking the shaft 36 one of the cables isshortened and the other lengthened to swing the draft link laterally, asshown in dotted lines in, Figure 3, and thereby change the direction ofdraft and steer the machine to the right or left. For rocking the shaft36, an upstanding arm 44 is integrally, or otherwise, secured to one endthereof. The turnbuckle 25 may be adjusted so as to give the propertension to the cables 39 and 40.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided amachine which may be conveniently and accurately steered, merely byrocking the lever 44, which is within convenient reach of the driver.The depth of cut of the cutting disks 33 may be easily regulated byadjusting the weights 34-. The weight of the roller 16, in connectionwith the under-slung frame and the relative arrangement of the draftdevice and fixed cutting blades 26 and 27, insures a rapid cut and auniform product. While the specific details of construction and theirgeneral arrangement herein described is to be preferred, it will beapparent that many modifications may be made therein, and some of thefeatures may be omitted without departing from the scope of theinvention as defined in the claims.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. In a sod cutter, the combination of a frame, a supporting arm at eachside of the frame and pivoted thereto to swing in a ver tical plane, avertical disk cutter journaled on each of said arms, means for forcingsaid disk cutters into the ground, a fixed cutting blade having ahorizontal portion and vertical end portions connecting it to the frame,said supporting arms terminating in forks each engaging opposite sidesof the respective vertical end portions of the fixed cutter.

In asod cutter, the combinationof a roller, an underslung framesupported thereby and having a horizontal cutting blade secured theretoinrear of the roller and adapted to cut beneath the sod, a pivotedmember at each side of the frame, a vertically disposed disk cuttercarried by each pivoted member, and adjustable means acting on thepivoted members for forcing the disk cutters into the ground.

3. In a sod cutter, the combination of a roller, an under-slung framesupported thereby, a horizontal cutting blade having vertical endportions secured to the sides of the frame, a pivoted member at eachside of the frame between the cutting blade and the roller andterminating in a fork which engages opposite sides of the vertical endportion of the blade, a vertical disk cutter journaled in the fork andin the same vertical plane with the end portion of the blade, andadjustable means acting on said pivoted members for forcing the diskcutters into the ground.

4. In a sod cutter, the combination of a main frame, an auxiliary framecomprising two diverging arms, means for pivoting the auxiliary frame tothe main frame at the point where the arms diverge, a weight mounted onone of the arms, a fork provided on the other arm, and a cutting diskmounted between the arms of the fork, said fork cooperating with apartuof the sod cutter to guide the up and down movement of theauxiliary frame.

5. In a sod cutter, the combination of a ting edges, supporting armspivoted to the frame to swing in vertical longitudinal planes, verticaldisk cutters carried by said supporting arms in the same planes as thevertical portions of the fixed cutter and in front thereof, and meansfor actuating the supporting arms to force the disk cutters into theground.

6. In a sod cutter, the combination of a frame, a relatively fixedcutter secured thereto and having integrally connected horizontal andvertical cutting blades, arms pivoted to the frame to swing in verticallongitudinal planes, said arms extending rearwardly and downwardly fromtheir pivots and terminating in forks which straddle the respectivevertical blades, a vertical disk cutter journaled in each fork in frontof the corresponding vertical blade, and means for actuating said armsto force the disk cutters into the ground.

7. In a sod cutter, the combination of a ground roller, an under-slungframe supported thereby, a relatively fixed cutter secured to the rearpart of the frame and having integrally connected horizontal andvertical cutting blades, arms pivoted to the frame in, front of thefixed cutter, vertical, disk gutters carried by said arms in the sameplanes as the respective vertical cutting blades, said arms havingrearwardly extended overhanging portions With weights adjustably mountedthereon for yieldably forcing the disk cutters into the ground.

8. In a sod cutter, the combination oi a ground roller, an under-slungframe sup ported thereby, a relatively fixed cutter secured thereto andhaving a horizontal cutting blade terminating at its ends in up turnedvertical cutting blades, arms pivoted to the frame to swing in verticallongitudimi planes in front of the fixed cutter, said arms, extendingrearwardly from their pivots and terminating in forks which straddle therespective vertical cutting blades, a vertical disk cutter journaled ineach fork in front of the corresponding vertical blade, said arms havingrearWardly extended overhanging portions With Weights adjustably mountedthereon for yieldably forcing the disk cutters into the ground.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature.

CHARLES F. DAFFERNER.

